Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing (a) relief and (b) a discounted rate for small art galleries following the increase in anti-money laundering supervision fees.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Economic crime presents a substantial threat to UK security and stability, and anti money laundering supervisors have an important role to play to ensure that supervised businesses understand and manage the risks to which they are exposed. HM Revenue & Customs supervises art market participantsalongside businesses in several other sectors.
It is policy of this, and previous Governments, that the cost of supervision should be met by supervised businesses and not through general taxation. HMRC has recently published its intention to increase some of the fees that itcharges for supervision to ensure that it has the income it needs to meet its obligations as a supervisor. HMRC is considering comments from businesses and trade bodies and will publish its next steps shortly. The Money Laundering Regulations apply only to sales of art exceeding the equivalent of €10,000 in value, which excludes 80% of businesses in the sector. HMRC hasconsidered the impact of the proposed fee increases on businesses against its needs as a supervisor and intends to minimise impact on supervised businesses, especially the vast majority who trade from a single premises.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the flat rate anti-money laundering supervision fee regime on small art galleries.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Economic crime presents a substantial threat to UK security and stability, and anti money laundering supervisors have an important role to play to ensure that supervised businesses understand and manage the risks to which they are exposed. HM Revenue & Customs supervises art market participantsalongside businesses in several other sectors.
It is policy of this, and previous Governments, that the cost of supervision should be met by supervised businesses and not through general taxation. HMRC has recently published its intention to increase some of the fees that itcharges for supervision to ensure that it has the income it needs to meet its obligations as a supervisor. HMRC is considering comments from businesses and trade bodies and will publish its next steps shortly. The Money Laundering Regulations apply only to sales of art exceeding the equivalent of €10,000 in value, which excludes 80% of businesses in the sector. HMRC hasconsidered the impact of the proposed fee increases on businesses against its needs as a supervisor and intends to minimise impact on supervised businesses, especially the vast majority who trade from a single premises.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 66247 on Public Expenditure: Wales, when her Department plans to publish a new release of Block Grant Transparency data.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The Block Grant Transparency publication breaks down all changes in the devolved governments’ block grant funding from the 2015 Spending Review to Main Estimates 2023-24. The most recent report was published in July 2023.
The next publication will include a breakdown of devolved governments’ funding since the 2015 Spending Review up to and including Spending Review 2025 and will be published in due course.
Block Grant Transparency:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/block-grant-transparency-july-2023
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2024 to Question 4409 on Taxation: International Cooperation, what recent steps she has taken to support the implementation of UN General Assembly resolution A /RES/78/230 on the Promotion of inclusive and effective international tax cooperation at the United Nations adopted on 22 December 2023.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The UK is committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure inclusive and effective international tax cooperation, and has been engaging in discussions at the UN over a future Framework Convention, including the recent informal sessions for the technical workstreams.
The UK believes that a UN Tax Framework Convention has the potential to further advance international tax cooperation, but to be successful, it needs to be clear in its aims, avoid duplicating initiatives, and seek to secure the broad support and participation of members.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the total amount of Barnett consequential funding which will be made available to Wales following the City Region Local Transport funding announced on 4 June 2025.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The 2025 Spending Review set the Department for Transport’s budget for 2026-27 to 2028-29. In line with the Statement of Funding Policy, the Barnett formula is applied to changes in overall department settlements, not to individual programmes. As a result, it is not possible to identify specific Barnett consequentials arising from individual programmes, such as the Transport for City Regions funding announced on 4 June 2025. This is the normal operation of the Barnett formula at Spending Reviews.
The Welsh Government’s settlement at the 2025 Spending Review is the largest in real terms since devolution in 1998. It ensures that the Welsh Government continues to receive more than 20% more funding per person than equivalent UK Government spending in England, which is above their 15% higher relative need agreed in the Welsh Government Fiscal Framework.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on updating the Welsh Fiscal Framework.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The UK and Welsh Governments have regular discussions on the delivery funding arrangements, including the Fiscal Framework.
We remain committed to working in partnership with the Welsh Government to ensure the Fiscal Framework continues to deliver value for money while upholding our shared commitment to fiscal responsibility.
As set out in the Welsh Government Fiscal Framework agreed in 2016, a full review is triggered if the Welsh Government’s relative funding falls below 115% of equivalent UK Government spending per head in the rest of the UK.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 48499 on Revenue and Customs, whether her Department plans to publish the minutes of the 2024 meeting of the Statutory Payment Consultation Group.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Minutes of the Statutory Payments Consultation Group meeting held on 30th January 2024 will be published before the Autumn. A date has not been set for a future meeting of the group.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 48499 on Revenue and Customs, when HMRC's Statutory Payment Consultation Group will next be convened.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Minutes of the Statutory Payments Consultation Group meeting held on 30th January 2024 will be published before the Autumn. A date has not been set for a future meeting of the group.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential cost savings to public services resulting from investment in independent social welfare advice services.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The Government recognises the important role that independent advice services play in supporting individuals.
For example, DWP provide grant funding to Citizens Advice, who deliver Help to Claim support for customers to apply for Universal Credit. Help to Claim reduces the number of Universal Credit benefit queries DWP receive and enables work coaches to focus on work related activities.
In addition, the Money and Pensions Service, which is sponsored by DWP, continues to provide impartial, free money and pensions guidance directly to consumers.
DWP assesses the impacts from its investments, including public services efficiencies, in line with standard Treasury guidance.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is her Department's policy that the classification of the East-West rail project as carrying 100% comparability factor for Wales is a publishing error in each Statement of funding policy, published between 2021 and 2024.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The UK Government is responsible for heavy rail infrastructure across England and Wales so spends money on this in Wales rather than funding the Welsh Government to do so through the Barnett formula. This approach applies to investment in heavy rail by the Department for Transport, including HS2 and East-West Rail, and is consistent with the funding arrangements for all other policy areas reserved in Wales as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy.
We are aware of a potential error, originating in Spending Review 2021, with the Department for Transport comparability factor used to calculate Barnett consequentials for the devolved governments at spending reviews. HM Treasury will work through the impact of this potential error ahead of the next Statement of Funding Policy publication.